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Rise up Surf Retreats

Chinandega, Chinandega, Nicaragua

Rise Up Surf Retreats runs all-inclusive surf and yoga weeks on the Pacific coasts of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. The company grew out of a 2009 surf trip through Nicaragua by founder Phil, a Barbados native who was drawn to the country's uncrowded waves, coastal communities, and wild landscapes. In 2014 he met Corina, and together they built Rise Up into the multi-location retreat company it is today. They have been operating in their host communities for more than a decade. Coaching is the center of every Rise Up week. They keep a strict ratio of 2 guests per coach, so surfers get constant, in-the-moment feedback in the water. That's backed up on land with surf theory and regular video analysis sessions that break down each surfer's technique. The program works for complete first-timers, who start with land-based fundamentals before moving into the whitewater. It works just as well for intermediates stuck on a plateau, which Rise Up names as a particular focus. Coaches choose each day's break based on conditions and the group's ability. Each retreat runs 7 nights, Saturday to Saturday, with 6 days of coaching. Daily yoga, breathwork and mobility sessions, a weekly ice bath, and a guided meditation evening round out the week. Four chef-prepared meals a day are served family-style, built around fresh local ingredients. Excursions vary by location and include horseback riding, waterfall hikes, boat trips, and community visits. Groups are capped at 11 or 12 guests depending on the location, and Rise Up says most of their guests arrive solo. Rise Up currently runs four retreat locations. In Nicaragua, Tranquil Escape is an intimate beachfront farm on the northern coast, and Luxury Escape is an air-conditioned beachfront property on the central coast. In Costa Rica, Luxury Villas is a pair of private villas in the Dominical region, and Jungle Escape is a rustic eco-lodge on the edge of the rainforest with a point break out front. The company also runs Rise Up Kids, an NGO supporting education and wellbeing in Northern Nicaraguan communities, and retreat guests can visit its projects during their week.